Clothesline tightener



@CE. 4, 119490 T, DAY 2,483,592

CLOTHESLINE T IGHTENER Filed Dec. 9, 1946 INVENTOR Thelma Maue DayPatented Oct. 4, 1949 CLOTHESLINE TIGHTENER Thelma Maude Day, Egmont,British Columbia,

Canad Application December 9, 1946, Serial No. 715,031

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes line tighteners.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a clothes linetightener which automatically increases the tension on the line as theload is increased thereon.

Another object is the provision of a clothes line tightener which doesnot interfere in any way with the normal operation of the line,

A further object is the provision of a clothes line tightener whichfunctions regardless of the direction in which the line is moved.

Yet another object is the provision of a device of the nature describedwhich does not require any attention or adjustment while the clothes arebeing hung on the line.

A still further object is the provision of a clothes line tightenerwhich gradually increases the tension on the line as the clothes arefastened thereon to counterbalance the load, and which decreases thetension as the clothes are removed.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsessentially of a clothes line tightener comprising an arm adapted to bepivotally supported at a point spaced from its ends, a pulley mounted onthe arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line may extend,and bearing means mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end thereofover which one of the runs of the line may extend, as more fullydescribed in the following specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a side elevation of theclothes line tightener, and

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, $53 is an arm which may beformed in a single piece or by spaced sides II and I2 which are joinedtogether at one or both ends in any suitable manner. This arm is adaptedto be piv otally supported at a point spaced from its ends, and for thispurpose a supporting member 13 is provided which is preferably U-shapedand is pivotally connected at its free ends to the arm by a pin [4, saidarm being positioned between the sides of the member. The supportingmember extends beyond the adjacent end of the arm.

A clothes line pulley I8 is mounted on the arm I!) adjacent One endthereof. If the arm consists of the sides H and i2, as shown, thispulley is mounted between the sides, and said sides and the pulley fitfreely between the sides of the supporting member.

A clothes line 19 is adapted to extend around the pulley i8 and hasupper and lower runs 20 and 2|, respectively. A hook 22 may be providedat the outer end of the member R3. The opposite end of the clothes lineextends around an ordinary pulley, or it may extend around the pulley ofanother one of these clothes line tighteners.

The arm [0 is provided with bearing means adjacent the end thereofopposite the clothes line pulley end over which the upper run 20 of theline extends. This bearing is preferably in the form of a roller orpulley 24 mounted between the sides H and I2 and over which the lineextends. The pivot point of the arm I8 is preferably located below theupper run of the line as it extends over the two pulleys.

If desired, guards 25 and 26 may extend respectively around the pulleysI8 and 24 to keep the line thereon.

The clothes are hung on the lower run 2! of the line. As the loadincreases thereon, the pulley 1'8 is drawn downwardly causing the arm Into pivot about the pin I4. This raises the pulley 24 causing it to movethe upper run 20 of the line upwardly to increase the tension on theline. As the load on the line is increased, so the tension thereon isautomatically increased. As the load on the line is reduced, the pulleyl8 rises and the pulley 24 moves downwardly, thus decreasing the tensionon the line. In view of the fact that the only members touching the lineare pulleys or rollers, this device does not interfere in any way withthe normal operation of the line, nor does it matter in which directionthe line is moved.

I claim:

1. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm lying substantially in ahorizontal plane, supporting means pivotally connected to said arm at apoint spaced from the ends of the latter, a pulley mounted on the armadjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line having two runs mayextend, and bearing means mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite endthereof over which one of the runs of the line may extend, said armpivoting on its supporting means when a load is applied to the clothesline run which is free of the bearing means.

2. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm, supporting meanspivotally connected to said arm at a point spaced from the ends of thelatter, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof aroundwhich a clothes line having an ll-11 B! and a lower run may extend, andbearing means mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end thereof overwhich the upper run of the line may extend, said arm pivoting on itssupporting means when a load is applied to the lower run of the clothesline.

3. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm, supporting meanspivotally connected to said arm at a point spaced from the ends of thelatter, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent one. end thereof aroundwhich a clothes line having; an upper and a lower run may extend, and apulley mounted on the arm adjacent the opposite end:

thereof over which the upper run of the line may mounted on the armadjacent one end thereof around which a clothes line having an upper anda lower run may extend, and a pulley mounted on thearm adjacent theopposite end thereof over which the upper run. of the line may extend.

5. A clothes line tightener comprising an. arm, a supporting memberpivotally connected to the arm at a point spaced from its ends, a pulleymounted on the arm adjacent one end thereof around which a clothes linehaving an upper and a lower run. may extend, a pulley mounted on the armadjacent the opposite. end thereof over which the upper run of the linemay extend, and means. associated with each pulleyfor keeping the linethereon.

6. A clothes line tightener comprising an arm, a U-shaped supportingmember having spaced sides pivotally connected at its free ends to thearm at a point spaced from the arm ends, said arm being positionedbetween the sides of the member, a pulley mounted on the arm adjacentone end thereof around which a clothes line having an upper and a lowerrun may extend, said pulley fitting freely between the sides of thesupporting member, and a pulley mounted on the arm adjacent the oppositeend thereof over which the upper run of the line may extend.

7.. A device according to claim 6 in which the supporting member extendsbeyond the adjacent end of the arm.

8. A device according to claim 4 in which the pivot point of the arm iscloser to the clothes line pulley end thereof than to its opposite end.

9'. A' device according to claim 4 in which the pulley over which theupper run of the line may extend just bears against said line when thereis no load on the latter.

THELMA MAUDE. DAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Anderson July 13,, 1943

